McArdle comes out swinging against PM's energy statements

November 28, 2012

Prime minister Julia Gillard has been caught out lying about her position on electricity privatisation - that's the claim by Queensland energy minister Mark McArdle.

Minister McArdle said that there is an undated letter from the prime minister to the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), which says her government "has not and does not advocate for the privatisation of electricity assets".

Subsequently, a submission by the prime minister's department and the cabinet to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices read the following: "The Australian Government has a clear path for better functioning energy markets through the progression of a set of critical reform issues. These include: …… privatising government-owned energy assets."

Mr McArdle has seized upon this information, suggesting Ms Gillard's sentiments in the letter to the ETU is in direct contrast to her government's submission to the senate about how to best address rising electricity prices.

The minister asserted: "Either the prime minister has misled a senate inquiry as to the position of her government or she has told her mates in the ETU what they want to hear."

He went on to say that the prime minister lied about a carbon tax during the 2010 election campaign and that her habit of lying is bound to catch up with her as it has in this instance.